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Church information management has come a long way – from paper documents in a file cabinet, to digital files in a database. You strive to ensure your church data is updated and accurate, and you should strive just as much to ensure that your church software is up-to-date.

But Why?

At ACS Technologies, we constantly work to improve our software, and we regularly enhance our programs because we know there are always new ways to do ministry. And, occasionally, there are corrections that need to be made. By staying up-to-date, you have the latest features to use in reaching your members and prospects.

I’m Still Not So Sure…

You may have other questions. Maybe your church has older equipment and doesn’t have the budget to keep it up-to-date. Or, you may not have a dedicated “computer person” to keep track of and download updates. For these situations, our OnDemand environment may be the solution for you. With OnDemand, not only can you access your information at any time or any place, but you also get free, automatic software updates for your ACS, PDS, or HeadMaster software, and you have no additional IT overhead or maintenance requirements.* We maintain all of our product software updates for you, so you’re always running the latest and greatest. If you have other questions about OnDemand, please call our ACS Technologies sales team at 800-736-7425, option 2. Also, check back in April for a blog article discussing the benefits of OnDemand.

* While you can access OnDemand from older operating systems, for the overall protection of your organization, ACS Technologies recommends that you regularly update your computer’s operating system with the latest security patches and keep your web browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, or Chrome) up-to-date. You should also familiarize yourself with Microsoft and Apple end of life policies. These policies provide advance notice as to when they plan to discontinue support, including security patches and updates, for a particular operating system.

What’s the Difference Between an Update and an Upgrade?

Maybe you’re not sure what the difference between an upgrade and and update is. Let’s talk about those terms for a minute. An upgrade refers to major developments and big enhancements; this is the main version. When you upgrade, you essentially get a newer, better program. Examples of upgrading:

Going from ACS 11.5 to ACS 11.6

Going from PDS 6.5 to 7.0

Going from HM 11.4 to HM 11.5

An update refers to smaller enhancements and any corrections; this is a change to the main version. When you update, these changes are applied over your already-installed program. Examples of updating:

Going from ACS 11.6.1.1 to ACS 11.6.1.2

Going from PDS 7.0A to PDS 7.0B

Going from HM 11.4.1.2 to HM 11.4.1.3

To see what the current, most up-to-date versions of our desktop products are, view the release notes page for your product (ACS, PDS, HeadMaster). If you’re in the Preferred Client Program, you can download updates and upgrades for free on the downloads page for your product (ACS, PDS, HeadMaster). If you aren’t in the Preferred Client Program and would like to update or upgrade your program to the latest and greatest, call our sales team at 800-736-7425, option 2.

How Can I Get the Most from My Product?

If you have the latest version of your software, the new features don’t do you any good unless you’re using them to enhance your ministry. You can find out about new features by checking out the release notes for your product. You can also visit our Help Centers for information on how to use all of your product’s features.

But sometimes you need a jump-start. Our team of training and implementation experts can help you learn the new features and see how you can incorporate them into your ministry. We have many forms of training, such as classroom, on-site consulting, self-paced training, 1-2-1 online training, live webinars, and much more! Find out more about training via the Client Portal for your product (ACS, PDS, HeadMaster).

Don’t end up in the dust! Stay up-to-date and use the latest software features to further enhance your ministry.

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About ACS Technologies

Founded in 1978, ACS Technologies is the leading provider of information management solutions to nearly 50,000 churches, schools, and organizational offices. With brands such as ACS™, PDS™, Membership Plus™, The City, Realm™, and HeadMaster™, ACS Technologies enables churches to manage every vital area of their ministry from finances to relationships, from events and groups to giving and serving. Whether online, desktop, wireless, or mobile, the passion that drives ACS Technologies is maximizing technology's value for ministry. ACS Technologies is a privately held company headquartered in Florence, South Carolina, with offices in Phoenix, Arizona and Seattle, Washington.